How Much Do Solar Powered Cars Cost To Buy?

A year and a half ago, San Diego-based Aptera Motors started taking orders for the Aptera, its three-wheeled solar car that resembles a cross between the Batmobile, the Delorian, and a personal-size aircraft. The company quickly sold out multiple models of the car and ended up having to push back the delivery date for many customers.

But in a webinar they put out last month, the company announced purchase of a factory to scale up production of their vehicles, which could mean a new era of emissions-free transport is being (slowly) ushered in. The factory in Carlsbad, California has 200,000 square feet of production space. That’s a lot; for comparison’s sake, Tesla’s flagship factory in Fremont, California was 510,000 square feet (but has been expanded since its initial construction).

Aptera is aiming to produce 10,000 cars by the end of this year, eventually ramping up production to 600,000 cars a year. At the moment, the company says it has over 25,000 orders (some of which may fall through given that placing an order only requires a $100 deposit); but they’re betting demand will rise as drivers of small cars, whether gas or electric, may choose to go solar, Aptera’s factory, artist rendering For some it may be the solar technology that’s a deterrent; despite the appeal (both in terms of cost savings and planet-friendliness) of never having to pump gas or plug in, it may be hard to convince drivers who don’t live in sunny places to make the switch.

The three-wheeled, flattened-egg style may be a hard sell too, at least until more cars start to look this way. An interactive map on Aptera’s website lets potential customers input the “sun zone” where they live and the average number of miles they drive per day to get an idea of how often they’d need to plug the solar car into a charging source.

The company estimates that people in the sunniest parts of the world who drive less than 40 miles per day could go 11,000 miles a year just on solar power. Those who don’t live in Arizona, Egypt, Chile, Saudi Arabia, and so forth would need to rely much more on the car’s battery storage.

1. The Aptera has a 100 kilowatt-hour battery pack and can be plugged in to charge just like any other electric car.
2. Its solar roof array is called Never Charge, and there’s also an option to put extra panels on the hood and hatch to add range.
3. The car’s odd shape isn’t just for show; its egg-shaped-yet-angularly-streamlined body gives it a drag coefficient of 0.13 ( drag coefficient measures how aerodynamic a car is, and the lower the number, the better; Tesla’s Model 3 has a drag coefficient of 0.23, and Volkswagen’s ID 4 electric SUV clocks in at 0.28).

The car also boasts a “safety cell seven times stronger than steel,” for those worried that its unique design may not hold up well in an accident, and can go from 0 to 60 in 3.5 seconds. In late May Aptera announced a partnership with Michigan-based RedViking, a manufacturing solutions company that makes robots it calls automated guided vehicles (AGVs).

The AGVs are basically platforms on wheels to move heavy parts around the factory floor—but they can transmit information about their position, movement, charging levels, and other diagnostic data, as well as identify obstacles in their path and avoid collisions. Aptera will use the robots to facilitate vehicle assembly by smoothly getting components where they need to be, with the bonus that the AGV system is easy to adapt or expand over time.

One of the most significant details about Aptera’s vehicles is that the 250-mile-range model is priced at a comparatively low $25,900. The 1,000-mile-range model, meanwhile, goes for $46,900, and additional customization options can drive the total up to $50,700.

A future where we drive around in zero-emissions cars powered by the sun sounds pleasantly utopian, especially given the current price of gas and growing instability of the power grid, Whether it comes to pass, and how long it takes if so, remains to be seen—but at least the wheels are in (solar-powered) motion.

Image Credit: Aptera Motors Vanessa Bates Ramirez Vanessa is senior editor of Singularity Hub. She’s interested in biotechnology and genetic engineering, the nitty-gritty of the renewable energy transition, the roles technology and science play in geopolitics and international development, and countless other topics.

How much is the cheapest solar car?

Inside the world’s first affordable solar-powered electric vehicle: The $25,000 Sono Motors Sion Germany company says it will bring a solar-powered electric vehicle to market in Europe in mid-2023. Sono has brought the car, called the Sion, on a tour throughout the U.S., in anticipation of its eventual domestic release.

• Priced at $25,000, the car is more affordable than most EVs on the U.S. market.
• It features 465 integrated solar half-cells throughout the exterior of the car — roof, doors, fenders, hood and all.
• The company estimates that solar power alone can fuel about 70 miles of driving per week.
• For longer trips though, the Sion has a lithium iron phosphate battery with a 190-mile range, made by Chinese electric vehicle and battery giant BYD.

Sono is contracting with Finnish company Valmet Automotive to produce the Sion, and the company says there are already 42,000 reservations for the car in Europe. The goal is to produce 257,000 Sions by 2030. CEO Laurin Hahn says that contract manufacturing is the first thing that allows the company to keep costs down.

• Second is we have just one variant.
• This car comes in any color you like as long as it’s black.
• So basically there’s no options.
• That’s massive in saving costs.
• Third, is we do online direct sells.
• Fourth is we have no steel stamping.
• It’s an aluminum space frame, very safe car.
• And fifth is it has no paint.

There is no paint job because it has solar panels on the outside. And for those five things, we can be so affordable.” Sono uses a polymer-based solar technology that it developed. ” We have several patents, over 30 patents on that,” said Hahn. “And it’s a big difference because all other companies who try to integrate solar are using most mostly glass.

Glass is heavy, slow in production and very cost expensive.” An app on the car’s dashboard that gives drivers real-time information about how much solar power the car is generating at any moment. Drivers can also control power-sharing via the app, using the Sion’s battery to charge other electric devices, including EVs, at a price point of the owner’s choosing.

While there are no mass-market solar electric vehicles available today, Hahn believes this technology will take off soon. “We think it has the potential to become a mainstream technology. Our mission is solar on every vehicle because there is no point of not putting it on it.

Can I get a solar powered car?

A 1,000 mile range to take you anywhere you want to go. – Whether commuting to work or camping off the grid, your options are limitless with Aptera. Each vehicle can generate enough solar energy for up to about 40 miles of free daily driving and up to 1,000 miles of range when fully charged. Customize and reserve your Aptera now. : Aptera Motors

How fast is a solar powered car?

Batteries – The battery pack in a typical solar car is sufficient to allow the car to go 250 miles (400 km) without sun, and allow the car to continuously travel at speeds of 60 mph (97 km/h).

Do solar cars have batteries?

Like solar-powered homes, solar cars harness energy from the sun by converting it into electricity. This electricity fuels the battery that runs the car’s motor. Instead of using a battery, some solar cars direct the power straight to an electric motor.

Are solar cars on the market?

Hyundai – In August of 2019, Hyundai announced that they are releasing a version of their Sonata Hybrid that has integrated solar panels. The car can run on gasoline, electricity, and the power it generates from its own roof made out of solar panels. Initially only released in South Korea, it is now available in North America, and currently gets up to 700 additional miles per year from its solar panel roof.

How far can a solar-powered car go?

Lightyear 0 Is a Solar-Powered Car You Can Drive for Months Without a Charge Over the past few years, several startups have released one-off solar-powered concept vehicles, but up until now, we have yet to receive a mass-produced solar-powered car. It looks like that will change soon with the introduction of the Lightyear 0—an electric sedan that gets its power from the sun.

That has an ambitious goal to start production of the Lightyear 0 this fall with the first deliveries starting in November. The Lightyear 0 features 5 square meters of double-curved solar arrays that can charge the electric vehicle while it’s driving or parked outdoors. The solar panels can add up to 43 miles (70 kilometers) of range a day in addition to its estimated 388 miles (625 kilometers) on Europe’s WLTP cycle.

This means drivers can literally drive for months without having to use an outlet or public charger. Lightyear estimates people who drive an average daily commute of about 22 miles, could go up to seven months between charges. Lightyear estimates the solar panels can add up to 6,835 miles (11,000 kilometers) of range per year.

• Today is the day we’ve all been waiting for since us five co-founders sat in a kitchen sketching out our dream of building the most sustainable car on the planet,” says Lightyear co-founder and CEO Lex Hoefsloot.
• In 2016, we only had an idea; three years later, we had a prototype.
• Now, after six years of testing, iterating, (re)designing, and countless obstacles, Lightyear 0 is proof that the impossible is actually possible.” In addition to its groundbreaking solar panels, the Lightyear 0 also stands out from current EVs with its four in-wheel motors.

The electric motors generate a combined 174 horsepower and 1,269 pound-feet of torque, which can accelerate the Lightyear 0 from 0-62 mph in 10 seconds and a top speed of 100 mph. With an energy use of 10.5 kWh per 62 miles (100 kilometers), Lightyear says it is the most efficient electric vehicle and its drag coefficient of less than 0.19 makes it the most aerodynamic family car yet.

• Although the Lightyear 0 is more than 16.4 feet long, it only weighs 3,472 pounds.
• Inside the Lightyear 0 focuses on sustainability and minimalism with naturally-sourced and vegan materials, like microfiber suede seats and rattan palm detailing.
• Its interior also features a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system that runs the Android Auto operating system.

Hoefsloot said in a statement that the Lightyear 0 is unique from electric vehicles: “Electric cars are a step in the right direction, but they have a scaling problem. By 2030, we can expect 84 million electric vehicles (EVs) on roads in Europe alone.

1. There’s no hiding from it, access to charging stations will not keep up with the demand for electric cars.
2. To minimize plug-charging and maximize range, the industry’s strategy, so far, has been to add batteries.
3. That increases the carbon footprint of production and, in turn, boosts weight and the need for high-power charging stations.

Our strategy flips that approach. Lightyear 0 delivers more range with less battery, reducing weight and CO₂ emissions per vehicle.” The company only plans to build 946 Lightyear 0 vehicles a year. It hasn’t announced the market distribution. The Lightyear 0 is definitely not cheap with a starting price of €250,000 ($263,243 USD), which means accessibility will be a barrier to entry for most consumers.

The good news is the company is also working on a second model that will better appeal to the mass market with its €30,000 ($31,589 USD) starting price. Production of its second EV will begin in late 2024 or early 2025. There’s still much to be seen with the Lightyear 0. While the most sustainable way to view car ownership is to not own a car, the reality is many people need vehicles in their day-to-day lives and Lightyear’s concepts spotlight innovation in the car space.

: Lightyear 0 Is a Solar-Powered Car You Can Drive for Months Without a Charge

Do solar-powered cars work at night?

8 Facts you Surely Want to Know About the Solar-cars 1. A solar car is an electric vehicle, powered directly by solar energy, using Photovoltaic (PV) cells. They convert the solar energy directly into electricity.2. Solar electric car can also move at night because during the day the batteries conserve solar energy.3.

• The first solar car racers are the brothers Hans Tholstrup and Larry Perkins on the Solar Trek from Perth to Sydney (Australia) in 1983-1983 with the car named “Quiet Achiever” at a 20 km/h speed.4.
• Solar power cars are still in the stage of experimentation.
• Toyota Prius already has introduced solar energy in its central energy system.5.

The fastest solar-powered car is Sunswift IV, 88.738 km/hr. It was built by the University of New South Wales Solar Racing Team and driven by Barton Mawer in 2011 in AustraliaSolar cars designs is similar with the technology used in the aerospace, bicycle, alternative energy and automotive industries.6.

7. The major benefits of the solar cars are:Environmental ProtectionMoney savingThe sun, as energy source, is for freeExcept the battery replacement, there are no additional maintenance procedures8. The most notable solar car races are:Tour de Sol in 1985 in Switzerland – the first solar car race!World Solar Challenge and the North American Solar Challenge are the 2 world’s famous solar car races!World Solar Challenge – it is a 3000 km race in Australia from Darwin to Adelaide.North American Solar Challenge is a solar car 1200-1800 mile rally event, offers the possibility of participating vehicles from all over the world.

South African Solar Challenge is auto racing in South Africa, on a distance of 4100 km. For the first time it was organized in 2008. Participants may be hybrid car, solar cars or electric cars. Solar Car Challenge is a solar car race, organized in America particularly for for high school students.

How much does it cost to charge an electric car?

What Is the Cost to Charge an EV in kWh? – “A conservative rule of thumb is that an electric car gets 3 to 4 miles per kWh,” Voelcker says. “So divide the total miles you drive each month by 3 to get the kWh you would use monthly. Multiply that number by your cost per kWh.

1. The dollar amount you get will most likely be lower than what you pay each month to buy gasoline.” To put this into perspective, let’s give an example.
2. Let’s say you drive about 1,183 miles per month (Americans drive an average of about 14,200 miles annually ).
3. For an EV, you will use about 394 kWh in that timeframe.

Using the U.S. household average from June 2022 of about 15 cents per kWh, it would cost about $59 per month to charge an electric car.

Why solar cars are not practical?

The rise of solar-electric cars – It is an established fact that constraints in PV technology makes it impractical for cars to be powered solely by solar energy. Even with the most efficient solar technology available today, it takes about 5-6 hours of sunlight to generate enough electricity to attain a driving range of about 40 – 50 km per day.

The idea of integration of photovoltaic panels in electric vehicles is a more realistic and feasible option over pure solar cars. With an on-board battery bank, the solar panels can play an important role in extending the range of a vehicle. This also tackles the problem of range-anxiety associated with electric cars to a certain extent.

There has been many notable solar-electric car prototypes that have been developed over the last few years. Sion, an innovative solar electric vehicle developed by Sono Motors, Germany, can be considered as the first hybrid electric vehicle that charges itself using solar energy.

It has 248 solar cells that are integrated into its body, and it uses solar energy to charge itself. When used for short distances, it has complete self-sufficiency. Even the manufacturing of the car is achieved using 100% renewable energy, further reducing its carbon footprint. In 2019, a Netherland startup named Lightyear unveiled a prototype of its first solar-powered electric car called ‘Lightyear One’ that boasts a range of 724 km on a single charge.

Designed by former engineers from Tesla and Ferrari, the car’s hood and roof are composed of solar panels. The vehicle also has the capability to charge on regular electric power as well as fast-charging stations. Companies like Toyota, Hyundai, and others are also trying to use solar panels to build a fully functioning solar car or a hybrid version of it.

1. Toyota, one of world’s largest automobile manufacturers, is in process of developing a next generation plug-in hybrid car.
2. What makes this car special are the solar cells that has an efficiency of 34%.
3. Developed in partnership with NEDO and Sharp, the solar cells are 10% more efficient than the best cells currently on the market.

Additionally, the cells have been installed on the hood, over the back window area, and on the trunk/spoiler area. Between the increased and the increased area covered by cells, they estimate the car will be able to add around 45 KMs of range per day, assuming good conditions.

Are solar cars safe?

Why Should We Drive Solar Cars? – Solar cars are going to emerge as the future of the world. Here are a few reasons why we should drive solar cars: • Solar cars emit no hazardous gases: Solar-powered cars are made from electric motors, and that’s how they usually change solar energy to electric energy for cars.

Hence, they don’t emit any gases into the environment. Every individual that genuinely loves the environment will also love the idea of solar cars running on the road. • Saving natural resources: Once solar energy is produced, it doesn’t require any other natural resource to operate further. Unlike gas-powered vehicles, solar cars don’t use oil or petroleum.

And hence, once you start driving solar cars, you will ultimately save all kinds of natural resources. • They are the technology of the future: With the advancement of technology in the field of digital marketing and online businesses, the technology of cars is also advancing.

How much do solar cars weigh?

4. Solar cars only weigh ⅙ of the weight of kei-cars?! – Despite being big, solar cars are surprisingly light. The winning car of the Challenger Class only weighs around 130-150kg-approximately ⅙ of the weight of kei-cars that weigh 850 kg.

How fast is the fastest solar car?

Monitoring Desk CLIMATE CHANGERS – Guinness World Records recognize a land speed record for vehicles powered only by solar panels. This record is currently held by the Sky Ace TIGA from the Ashiya University. The record of 91.332 km/h (56.75 mph) was set on 20 August 2014 at the Shimojishima Airport, in Miyakojima, Okinawa, Japan.

The previous record was held by the University of New South Wales with the car Sunswift IV. Its 25-kilogram (55 lb) battery was removed so the vehicle was powered only by its solar panels. The record of 88.8 km/h (55.2 mph) was set on 7 January 2011 at the naval air base HMAS Albatross in Nowra, breaking the record previously held by the General Motors car Sunraycer of 78.3 kilometres per hour (48.7 mph).

The record takes place over a flying 500 metres (1,600 ft) stretch, and is the average of two runs in opposite directions. Land speed records are not cast in stone, but change as time moves on. New teams rise to the challenge and technology advances to move the goal posts,

Hence, there have been dozens of fast solar powered cars that at one time or other held the record. And there will be many more. Just as important and raising the performance bar, is getting manufacturers to build eco cars. Even more important is an infrastructure to replenish expended energy quickly. Our Governments do not seem to realise the urgency of the situation regarding climate change and the need to act now.

It seems they would rather wait for as long as they can to allow stakeholders with existing investment in outdated technology to milk the system. Fortunately, most schoolchildren do have financial investments in dinosaur tech, but do know that their future is being compromised by the greedy adults that say they care about them. his month a unique vehicle powered only by nearly 600 SunPower® solar cells will speed down a runway at 65 mph in the Mojave Desert to break a world land speed record for fastest solar car. “Dawn,” built almost entirely by students at the Prototype Vehicles Lab (PROVE) at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, Calif., and driven by aerospace engineer Lacey Davis, aims to smash the existing 56 mph record achieved by a car in Japan in 2014, according to Guinness World Records,

1. Dawn actually doesn’t even have a proper steering wheel, and it definitely doesn’t look like a normal car.
2. It’s an electric vehicle, yet it has no batteries or any other energy storage system.
3. Faced with the blank page that comes with record racing, the PROVE team had virtually untamed creative license to design a vehicle that has less than 10 percent of the aerodynamic drag of a typical family SUV.

Since it’s mostly made of aerospace-grade carbon fiber, it’s so light that a few people can easily pick it up. The record requirements are simple: It must have four wheels to be called a car, and it has to have a human driver in control at all times.

To make it safe, the team added a steel roll cage and a few other innovations, such as an “anti-flip-flap,” which pops up and kills any lift if the wing-shaped body starts to become airborne. This isn’t something practical you’ll be driving to the store anytime soon, though. PROVE Lab’s mission is simply to show the world what can be done with solar power and a bit of imagination.

Why Don’t We Have Solar Powered Cars?

We deliberately didn’t use expensive satellite -grade cells and instead covered the car in the same high efficiency silicon cells SunPower uses in its commercially available solar panels. We want to emphasize that this is technology you can buy and use today, just wrapped up in a futuristic package and doing something slightly bonkers. Solar Technology: From ‘Impossible’ to ‘Inevitable’ Breaking records is often how we get a meaningful measure on progress in science and technology. Faster, further, higher, better. It’s a tangible demonstration of where we’ve been and where we’re going, and it’s the reason we are drawn to inventions like Solar Impulse 2, the SunPower solar cell powered airplane which set a world record when it became the first solar-powered plane to fly around the world two years ago.

SunPower has long understood the value of applying its innovative technologies to help solar pioneers achieve records, using what it learned to develop better products and to communicate how efficient its technologies are when it comes to helping homeowners, businesses and entire states transition properly to clean energy.

As solar adoption spreads, the cost continues to drop, emissions decrease and people feel positive about achieving a clean energy future. However, for those of us in the record-breaking business, we’re also pretty familiar with the other type of responses, the, “That’s impossible,” comments.

Dawn is a good example, given how often the students have heard that it can’t be done for at least 50 different reasons. Nobody ever said building a solar car that could cruise at freeway speeds on the same amount of energy that it takes to run a toaster would be easy, but it was always possible — a challenge of perseverance as much as anything.

College students know it’s possible, with enough late nights and a slight hit to the GPA! Middle schoolers are just surprised it hasn’t been done already. A 5-year-old simply assumes that all cars will be built like this in the future. So why is a solar-powered family car taking as long as the infamous flying car to become a reality? It’s not really the energy density of batteries, or any barrier thrown up by the physics of efficiency in photovoltaics. Companies from Audi to ambitious startups such as Sono Motors are showing it is possible to make an effective solar-battery car for a daily city commute, and if they don’t succeed in being the first to market, then eventually someone else will. At a larger scale, many battery manufacturers and power utilities are catching on to the logic of using the array on a home or business to store energy for charging electric vehicles,

1. A bewildering range of technologies is converging at this moment in time to make it all not just possible, but economically advantageous, to power our personal transportation with pure clean energy from the sun,
2. There’ll be a quick switch from “impossible” to “inevitable.” I’ve been involved in solar cars for a decade now, starting with the Sunswift team in Sydney, Australia, where I designed the bodywork for “IVy” as a student, and then as an academic overseeing the development of “eVe.” Both vehicles achieved solar and electric vehicle records and were powered by various evolutions of SunPower’s technology.

PROVE Lab’s car, Dawn, is just the latest in a long line of innovations that use SunPower solar to push the boundaries further out. In about two and a half years, students from 13 different majors at Cal Poly have gone from “impossible” to, we hope, “inevitable” for their own slice of solar power history. SKY ACE TIGA SKY ACE TIGA – This speedy red racer was entered in the 2011 WSC by Japan’s Ashiya University, In the end, the Sky Ace Tiga came in fourth place and was one of only seven solar cars to reach the finish line in Adelaide within the allotted time. Sunwift iVy SUNSWIFT – The Sunwift iVy running at the Global Green Challenge from Darwin to Adelaide in 2009. This race forced the Australian government to raise the speed limit where these small eco cars were going faster than the mainstream traffic. Tiga SKY ACE TIGA The fastest speed attained by a solar-powered vehicle is 91.332 km/h (56.75 mph) and was achieved by Kenjiro Shinozuka (Japan), who drove Ashiya University’s Sky Ace TIGA at Shimojishima Airport, in Miyakojima, Okinawa, Japan, on 20 August 2014. SUNSWIFT – UNIVERSITY NEW SOUTH WALES With a speed of 88.738 km/h (55.077 mph), the University of New South Wales’ (UNSW) Sunswift IVy has claimed the Guinness World Record for the fastest solar-powered vehicle. The record-beating run took place on January 7 at HMAS Albatross navy base airstrip in Nowra, Australia, and outdid the previous record-holder by more than 10 km/h (6.2 mph).

• Designed and built by UNSW students, Sunswift IVy is a three-wheeled vehicle with a monocoque carbon fiber body, brushless CSIRO 3 phase DC 1800 W motor, solar array producing about 1200 W (the same it takes to run a toaster) and, usually, a 24.75 kg (55.56 lb) lithium ion polymer battery pack.
• However, as the milestone is for cars powered exclusively by silicon solar cells, the battery was removed for the record attempt.

While students usually drive the car, the record-breaking run was piloted by professional racing driver Barton Mawer and Craig Davis, from electric car company Tesla ‘s European operations. The record-beating run took place at 10.32 am. The team wasn’t expecting to get peak sun until noon and therefore wasn’t expecting to break the record so early in the day. Although the team says they believe they can get the record to over 90 km/h (55.9 mph), they weren’t able to improve on the time in subsequent runs. Adjudicators from The Guinness Book of World Records were on hand to witness the record-breaking run and have already officially recognized the new record and handed over a certificate. The previous record of 78 km/h (48.5 mph) was set by the GM Sunraycer in 1987. FASTEST SOLAR CIRCUMNAVIGATION – On the 4th of May 2012, history was made, as Raphael Domjan, at the helm of a giant of a catamaran powered only by solar panels crossed the finishing line at Monaco to become the first electric boat to sail around the world.

Who is making solar cars?

Lightyear 0 solar-assisted car will go into production this year (CNN) — Dutch company Lightyear has announced that this fall it will start making the world’s first production car fitted with solar panels. The Lightyear 0 will have curved solar panels in its roof, hood and trunk that top up the electric battery as it drives (or remains parked) and the first delivery in Europe could be as early as November.

• The company says the car will be able to drive around 388 miles without stopping to recharge, and will have an additional range of up to 44 miles a day from the solar panels.
• For comparison, that’s slightly more than a Tesla Model 3 (374 miles), and significantly more than the Kia Niro Long Range (285 miles).

Each hour in the sun will add up to six miles of charge to the battery, according to Lightyear. The solar range will give an added drip feed of miles for long journeys but also means you’ll spend less time at charging points – or may not even need them at all. A rendering of the Lightyear 0. Lightyear The “0” has much in common with the Lightyear One prototype that was unveiled two years ago, but is able to do more with a smaller battery, says company CEO and co-founder Lex Hoefsloot. “The powertrain is the most efficient in the world,” he claims, adding that the car’s aerodynamic shape and four in-wheel motors enable a smaller battery to provide the same range.

That means “the whole car is lighter,” he says, “and you get into this positive feedback cycle where everything can become lighter as well. That’s how we’ve been able to get to 1,575 kilograms. If you look at other cars that offer similar range, they’re all about 40% heavier.” Other companies are developing cars with solar panels, but none are ready to hit the market yet.

The Sono Sion, slated for production in 2023, promises to provide an average of 10 miles of solar range per day. The Aptera Never Charge is a futuristic-looking three-wheeler that the company claims will collect about 40 miles’ worth of solar energy a day.

Aptera told CNN that it hopes the car will enter production in 2023, and it already has 24,000 reservations. But while the whole concept of the Lightyear 0 may be based around improving efficiency and cutting charging time, it has a maximum speed of just 100 mph, while its 0 to 100 mph time is a sluggish 10 seconds, something that Hoefsloot admits is down to a focus on range.

Related content It’s expensive too: One of the 946 launch models will set you back €250,000 ($262,000) – slightly more than a Ferrari Roma, and some distance clear of mid-range family EVs like the Nissan Leaf (around $27,000 in the US) or the Tesla Model 3 (around $50,000).

How much does an electric car cost?

EV Price Trends – Source: Graph by YAA; Data via Kelley Blue Book In January 2020, the average electric car price was $54,668, or 42% higher than the overall market average. In 2022, the average cost of a new EV is $65,291, or about 37% higher than the overall new car market.

How much does Tata EV cost?

The price of Tata Nexon EV Prime starts at Rs.14.99 Lakh and goes upto Rs.17.50 Lakh.

Who is making solar cars?

Lightyear 0 solar-assisted car will go into production this year (CNN) — Dutch company Lightyear has announced that this fall it will start making the world’s first production car fitted with solar panels. The Lightyear 0 will have curved solar panels in its roof, hood and trunk that top up the electric battery as it drives (or remains parked) and the first delivery in Europe could be as early as November.

1. The company says the car will be able to drive around 388 miles without stopping to recharge, and will have an additional range of up to 44 miles a day from the solar panels.
2. For comparison, that’s slightly more than a Tesla Model 3 (374 miles), and significantly more than the Kia Niro Long Range (285 miles).

Each hour in the sun will add up to six miles of charge to the battery, according to Lightyear. The solar range will give an added drip feed of miles for long journeys but also means you’ll spend less time at charging points – or may not even need them at all. A rendering of the Lightyear 0. Lightyear The “0” has much in common with the Lightyear One prototype that was unveiled two years ago, but is able to do more with a smaller battery, says company CEO and co-founder Lex Hoefsloot. “The powertrain is the most efficient in the world,” he claims, adding that the car’s aerodynamic shape and four in-wheel motors enable a smaller battery to provide the same range.

1. That means “the whole car is lighter,” he says, “and you get into this positive feedback cycle where everything can become lighter as well.
2. That’s how we’ve been able to get to 1,575 kilograms.
3. If you look at other cars that offer similar range, they’re all about 40% heavier.” Other companies are developing cars with solar panels, but none are ready to hit the market yet.

The Sono Sion, slated for production in 2023, promises to provide an average of 10 miles of solar range per day. The Aptera Never Charge is a futuristic-looking three-wheeler that the company claims will collect about 40 miles’ worth of solar energy a day.

Aptera told CNN that it hopes the car will enter production in 2023, and it already has 24,000 reservations. But while the whole concept of the Lightyear 0 may be based around improving efficiency and cutting charging time, it has a maximum speed of just 100 mph, while its 0 to 100 mph time is a sluggish 10 seconds, something that Hoefsloot admits is down to a focus on range.

Related content It’s expensive too: One of the 946 launch models will set you back €250,000 ($262,000) – slightly more than a Ferrari Roma, and some distance clear of mid-range family EVs like the Nissan Leaf (around $27,000 in the US) or the Tesla Model 3 (around $50,000).